"…You don't get it, do you?"
"Hm? No, I think I understand—"
"Gah! You're usually so sharp! Why are you so incredibly dense about this?!"
I was genuinely confused.
"Listen to me! Koto-chan, when I say 'love,' I mean Love. With a capital L! I mean romantic love! I want to be your partner!"
Her words still felt like they were in a language I didn't speak.
It wasn't that I lacked the knowledge—I understood the concept of romance intellectually. It was simply that I could not fathom those words being directed at me.
"…Me? In… that way?" I pointed at myself, tilting my head.
Toga gave a sharp, emphatic nod. A heavy, awkward silence settled between us.
Finally losing her patience, Toga's Force presence flared, exploding outward like a tantrum of pure energy. Before I could even think, my own Force presence rose to meet hers. It was a reflexive response—the fundamental basis of lightsaber combat. Any Jedi who had survived the Great War would have reacted the same way.
But in the next heartbeat, I saw into her heart. Guided by the Force, I slipped into the recesses of her mind. It prevented a fight… but it gave me something far more intense.
『 I love Koto-chan. I love her so much! 』
『 I want to stay with her forever. Until the day I die, and beyond! 』
『 Love you, love you, love you. 』
『 Koto-chan Koto-chan Koto-chan Koto-chan— 』
"Ah…!"
I recoiled, physically staggering back from the weight of it. It was an oppressive, concentrated sweetness, like nectar that had been boiled down into a thick, heavy syrup. In an instant, the connection snapped.
…What was that? I had never felt anything like it. It was different from simply reading someone's thoughts; it was something much deeper.
Was this the communion of a Force Dyad? I would definitely need to consult Anakin about this.
But regardless of the mechanics, I finally understood Toga's feelings. No amount of words could have convinced me, but that direct touch of our spirits had branded the truth onto my soul.
Toga seemed to realize I'd seen it. Or perhaps she had seen into my heart as well. Her expression shifted from frustration to a strange, calm acceptance. There was a trace of something else there, though…
"…What did you 'see'?" I asked.
"Well… you know. It just hit me that you really are only ten years old, Koto-chan…"
"…A bit late for that realization, isn't it?"
"No, I mean… I guess if you're ten, it makes sense that you're a total blockhead when it comes to romance…"
"What exactly did you see in there…?"
I pressed a hand to my forehead. I felt a headache coming on, though I tried to tell myself it was just my imagination.
Ignoring my distress, Toga leaned her weight against me.
Assuming she wouldn't try anything reckless in this state, I let her. Her arms wrapped gently around me, pulling me into a soft embrace. She tucked my head against her chest. Thump-thump. Thump-thump. I could hear her heart beating a little fast.
Strangely, it felt… comforting.
"Koto-chan… I'll say it again. I love you. I really, truly love you."
"..."
"But since you don't really get it yet… I'll wait."
"..."
"I'll wait as long as it takes. Until you can love me back. Forever."
"…You aren't even considering the possibility that I might never fall for you?"
"Ahaha! That's impossible."
She stated it with absolute, terrifying certainty.
"How can you be so sure?"
She looked down at me with her usual, toothy grin.
"Because the Force told me so."
Had she seen a vision of her own?
Still, I could understand her logic. If she was that certain, then I would be too—though whether I would actually accept those feelings was a different matter.
For a Jedi, forming an attachment to a specific individual was strictly forbidden. Moreover, I simply couldn't imagine myself becoming that infatuated with this girl.
And yet… was it because of the Dyad? Or was I being influenced by the echo of her thoughts during our communion?
Whatever the reason, I couldn't deny that being held like this didn't feel unpleasant at all.
…Of course, immediately after this touching moment, she kissed me senseless and proceeded to drain a significant amount of blood from my neck. So much for "waiting."
Actually, I think that was the most she'd ever taken at once. I had to hastily use the Force to boost my body's blood production. I really wish she wouldn't overindulge the night before our first day of school.
I've told her a thousand times to ask for permission first. I wouldn't even complain if she just asked.
Sighing, I wrapped my arms around Toga. She held me back, her face smeared with my blood but wearing a look of pure bliss.
We stayed like that for a long time, held in a silent embrace.
Above us, the spring moon looked down in silence.